European regulators order Meta to temporarily reopen WhatsApp for rival AI chatbots, as part of an ongoing antitrust investigation into whether Meta abused its dominance by blocking third-party assistants. The European Commission issues interim measures requiring Meta to restore free access to the WhatsApp Business API for general-purpose AI assistants. The move is intended to preserve competition while the investigation continues, with the Commission saying competition can be lost before a final decision is adopted.
Multiple outlets report that Meta must comply within a short deadline, described as five working days, and that the interim order applies to third-party AI chatbots using the WhatsApp Business API. The Commission also warns that non-compliance could lead to significant financial penalties, reported as fines of up to 10% of Meta’s annual revenue.
Meta criticises the decision, describing it as “regulatory overreach,” and says the order effectively allows large technology firms, including OpenAI, to access WhatsApp free of charge. Meta says it will appeal. Separate reporting notes the EU’s broader regulatory environment, including references to other companies’ disputes with EU rules, but the core decision concerns access to WhatsApp Business API for rival AI assistants.
